


Caught in your (mouse) trap [Rewriting]

by zekewastaken



Category: (여자)아이들 | (G)I-DLE
Genre: Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/F, Fluff, Hybrids, Mouse Hybrid Minnie Nicha Yontararak, Park Ranger Song Yuqi, Self-Indulgent, mostly MinQi-centric, why doesn't AO3 have a 'draft story' option?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:34:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23523142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zekewastaken/pseuds/zekewastaken
Summary: A cry for help makes Yuqi cross paths with an injured hybrid, and she takes it upon herself to be Minnie's temporary guardian.ORHybrid-AU, feat. Park Ranger Yuqi and Mouse-Hybrid Minnie.**Rewriting as of 10/09/2020.
Relationships: Song Yuqi/Minnie Nicha Yontararak
Comments: 8
Kudos: 81





	Caught in your (mouse) trap [Rewriting]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fate has a convenient way of getting two individuals together—and Yuqi just so happens to be in the right place at the right time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been six months and no, this is not an update. Sorry to disappoint :v
> 
> Since my writing style has changed overtime, I'm currently revising the chapters and making all the necessary edits as I go. The original work was super cringy, so I'm trying to make it a little more tolerable (for me) to read. Other than that, the plot stays mostly the same, though I might add a few extra stuff in the edited version.
> 
> **I intended to update this fic when I've finished all of the three chapters. But then college happened and the longer that I keep the old work up, the longer I have to deal with the embarrassment of keeping it public on this site. **no beta, we die like men.**
> 
> (watch me hate this rewrite in a span of a few hours, because I can never be satisfied with my writing 👊😔)

It seemed like another ordinary day for Song Yuqi.

Clock in, have a brief staff meeting, sort through their itineraries for today, and then go about their duties as usual.

Some people might see this as a dull, repetitive cycle. But not when it comes to the responsibilities of being a park ranger, whose job is to look after the well-being of their hybrid population. And Yuqi wouldn’t have it any other way than to be involved in this opportunity to interact and befriend these hybrids under her care.

When she first stepped into the reserve a few years back, she just knew it was _“destiny”._ From being a volunteer during her summer breaks away from university, Yuqi moved up the ranks until she officially became part of the crew after her graduation. Her dedication, experience, and the fact that she attained a Bachelor’s Degree in Hybrid Behavior and Ethology ( _“first class honors, bitches!”_ She proudly flaunted upon getting her award) made Yuqi the ideal recruit for their staff.

The crew was divided into teams for better handling of the large reserve called “Hybrid Haven”, which boasts of nearly one-million hectares wide expanse for the hybrids to roam around freely. And with three different entrances guarded by a second crew of watchmen tasked to keep away trespassers and poachers.

Yuqi’s current team consists of five other girls—Miyeon, Soyeon, Lia, Ryujin, and Chaeryeong—assigned to ensure that the park’s operations ran without a hitch, while also maintaining the peace and cooperation between humans and hybrids around the reserve. It wasn’t a difficult task per se, but the huge land area they had to cover on a daily basis proved to be challenge. Even with the use of golf carts and ATVs provided for easier traveling, since they were few and often in need of maintenance. (They have the mischievous sleuth of bear-hybrids to blame for that.)

( _“Tell Hyunjin that the next time I see him, I’m turning his ass into a speed bump.”_ Yuqi once threatened after Yeji’s twin brother had stolen away the tires of her cart when she dropped by their compound for a routine check. The bear just laughed before patting her friend’s head in mock sympathy.

_“I’ll send him your regards.”_ Yeji said with her signature eye-smile on full display, clearly finding amusement in the ranger’s disdain.

_“… You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”_

_“Yup.”_

Yuqi rolled her eyes and threw a light punch against Yeji’s shoulder, the corners of her lips betraying her emotion as they pulled into a little smile of their own. _“Asshat.”_ )

Right now, Yuqi is on her way towards the deer compound to deliver their breakfast. Bringing along a few boxes of fruits in the back of her cart, plus a heaping pot of oatmeal secured in the passenger seat. Courtesy of their Head Ranger, Kim Hyuna.

“Hi, Yuqi!” Vivi, one of the younger deer-hybrids, greets the ranger upon her arrival at the main pavilion. Perched atop the railing as she chatted away with Luhan and Yoona, who waved at her in unison. All of them dressed in their standard white clothes provided by the management, with the stag’s antlers crowning above his tousled hair in smooth, elegant branches.

“Morning, everyone!” Yuqi bows in return. “I brought over some fruit, and Hyuna-unnie cooked oatmeal!”

The mention of her prized porridge makes the brown, pointed-ear appendages on their heads perk up as their doe-eyes sparkle in excitement. Luhan and Vivi immediately take off to gather the herd for breakfast, while Yoona assists Yuqi in taking the food over to the mess hall.

“Thanks for the help, unnie. My arms would’ve probably snapped from carrying this.” Yuqi motions at the hefty pot they’ve placed on the serving counter.

Yoona quirks a brow up as she smiles amusedly. “Such a strange thing to hear from our little brother Yuqi. Have you forgotten about that giant bag of rice you had to carry one time?”

Yuqi pouts at the memory of that dreadful morning. “I was in a rush, okay?” She protests. “There weren’t any carts left, and Jisoo-unnie was growing restless! I swear, it gave me more workout than I would’ve gotten at the gym that day!”

The older doe laughs heartily, finding the dog-hybrid to be a peculiar, yet interesting case whenever her cravings came into play.

“Ah, Jisoo and her odd love for rice… It reminds me of Juhyun and her sweet potato obsession.”

Raucous footsteps can be heard thundering across the housing complex as the herd finally arrives for their morning meal. Each of them buzzing with hungry anticipation for Hyuna’s popular oatmeal, which is the hype of their species, and taking turns to have their bowls filled. Their ears flicking happily as soon as they sat down and devoured the food with gusto.

Just when Yuqi was ladling the last servings to a young, male fawn, a loud screech—followed by a shrill voice screaming _“Shuhua!”_ —tore through the pleasant atmosphere as a certain bunny-hybrid hopped over the fence and towards the other side of the compound. Her long, black ears flopped against her head as she ran for her life, while tagging not too far behind her is a fuming (and heavily drenched) Cho Miyeon. Whose hazel eyes screamed bloody murder at the grinning culprit up ahead.

“Pabo-yah! Get back here!” The older ranger roared while shaking her fist in the air. “I’m going to dunk your stupid head in the toilet!”

“Not unless you catch me first!”

Shuhua practically tee-hee’d as she dashed through the foliage, effortlessly leaping over the logs and benches along the way like an expert traceuse.

Miyeon, on the other hand, stumbled a couple of times and almost tripped on a rock just trying to catch up with her. It didn’t help that her eyes kept getting blocked by the wet strands of silver hair sticking to her face and obscuring her vision.

The commotion, as random and concerning as it may seem, didn’t really surprise them. It’s normal to see the two quarreling back and forth every day, although they never quite escalated beyond Shuhua acting like a nuisance to the impatient Miyeon—who, in turn, would smack the insufferable bunny for being such a headache.

Contrary to popular belief, they grew to be rather fond of each other in-between their constant bickering and frivolous squabbles. On the rare occasions that they were actually civil (and not turning the reserve into their personal warzone), they hung out and did all sorts of activities together. From afternoon hikes and casual bike rides through the thick vegetation, to sharing a coloring book while they relaxed back in the ranger headquarters.

That said, Yuqi would usually find herself as the unwilling mediator in their daily banters (because seriously, they _always_ show up around her) and be dragged into their shenanigans. But if she were being completely honest, they felt more like a marital crisis with her being the awkward third-wheeler of it all.

“Shuhua must’ve pushed her into the creek again.” Yoona chaffed as Miyeon attempts to strangle the hybrid, except the naughty bunny slips out of reach from her murderous hands and skedaddles away into the sheath of trees up ahead. Cackling like a madwoman as the ranger gives chase while shouting a slew of _colorful_ profanities, until they disappeared out of sight.

“Yew gunna take cur of doth?” Luhan suddenly asked through a spoonful of oatmeal jammed in his mouth. Earning him a distasteful glare from the opposite Seungcheol, who throws a crumpled paper napkin at his face.

“Gross, hyung.”

Yuqi pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs. “Unfortunately.” She muttered. “I should get going before they break into the tiger compound again. God knows how pissed Taehyung-oppa would be if they disturbed him during his painting session.”

“Alright. Thanks again for the food, Yuqi.” Yoona said as she patted the ranger’s back. “Good luck handling those two. You’ll need it.”

“Ugh, tell me about it.”

She bids the herd a quick farewell and hurried back to her cart. Hoping to prevent another rampage in the form of a very unhappy tiger-hybrid, with a terrifying skill of turning his paintbrushes into a weapon.

* * *

It didn’t take long for Yuqi to find the pair barreling along the edges of the giraffe compound (arguably her favorite one in the entire reserve, but don’t tell the others) and almost ran over a not-very innocent Shuhua, who popped out of nowhere and jumped right smack in the middle of her path—with Miyeon lagging a bit farther behind after catching her breath by a tree.

Once they got close enough, however, they started flailing their hands like school children, and Yuqi was forced to literally man-handle them into the backseat of her cart. Threatening to tie them both to the same tree and leave them there till dusk if they didn’t behave.

They lasted approximately five minutes (yes, she counted) before completely disregarding her threat and turning the vehicle into a wrestling ring. The ruckus nearly cost all three of them their lives when Miyeon accidentally bumped into Shuhua too hard, the bunny crashed against Yuqi’s chair and caused her to jerk the steering wheel in surprise. Swerving their cart off the dirt trail and towards an enormous boulder the size of the migraine these two idiots were giving the young ranger.

“Every moment spent with you guys takes a day out of my lifespan.” Grumbled a disheveled Yuqi, whose eyebrows are knitted in restrained annoyance as they stride into the cabin. Her uniform in faint wrinkles, and her brown beret drooped slightly over one side of her head.

“It’s not my fault! Miyeon-unnie couldn’t keep her hands to herself!” Shuhua jabs an accusing finger at the older ranger, who blushes at the double-meaning of her words while shooting her a pointed glare.

“That’s pretty rich coming from the brat who pushed me into the creek for no reason!” Miyeon rebuffs strongly, her arms folded across her chest as they leveled their gazes for competitive dominance.

“Okay, first off. I didn’t _push_ you. I was only scaring you, but you just freaked out and slipped!” Shuhua throws her hands up in exasperation.

“Then why were you touching me?!”

“Because I was trying to catch you, idiot! Except you already fell into the water!”

Yuqi feels her eardrums about to burst from all their shouting, so she quickly shuts them up by pinching their ears until they were yelping in pain.

“Ow! What was that for?!” Shuhua complained as they squirm under Yuqi’s fingers, before rubbing on the sore spot after she had released them. Miyeon doing the same with a small pout on her face.

Yuqi rolls her eyes. “You two are making me deaf at 21.” She deadpans. “Now if you’re done arguing like some married couple, I’d like to get back to my work _in peace._ ”

“W-We’re not couple—!” Miyeon spluttered as Shuhua chokes on her own breath.

“Me? With this old hag? You’re crazy!”

The older ranger looks positively offended. “Who are you calling an old hag?!” She exclaims, spinning on her heel to go eye-to-eye with the cheeky bunny, who seems to be enjoying her riled-up state.

(If it weren’t for the ears perched on Shuhua’s head, Yuqi could’ve sworn there were devil horns sprouting there.)

Seeing that neither of them are relenting anytime soon, Yuqi excuses herself and quietly stalks out of the common area. Their loud voices going distilled in the background as she enters the main lobby of their headquarters, finding the place empty and sighing in relief. The last thing she wants right now is find herself in another one of Miyeon and Shuhua’s petty tirades.

For her next task, Yuqi has to patrol around the reserve and supervise the visitors and hybrids. A relatively easy task, so to speak, considering that every team is assigned to a different section of the park each week.

Just when Yuqi had finished tidying up her uniform, fellow teammate Shin Ryujin barges into the lobby with the force of a hundred raging rhinos as she slams the front door open.

“Holy shit!” Yuqi whirls around and is taken aback at her friend’s bedraggled appearance. Navy-blue hair in disarrayed tangles with twigs and leaves stuck between them, and her skin matted with specks of dirt and grass.

Seems like someone didn’t have a particularly good morning either.

“Geez, Ryu. You look terrible.” She quips while scanning her from head to toe. “What happened to feeding the buffaloes?”

Ryujin’s lips flatten into a thin line as she trudges her soiled boots along the polished floorboards, slinking towards the supply room with a trail of mud in her wake. (Something that Lia would certainly lose her mind over once she finds out.)

“Came in the wrong time. Those bullheads were already rough-housing as soon as I got there.” She answered curtly. “Somehow, the gorilla faction got involved and now it’s a battle of goddamn testosterone.”

Yuqi tries not to snort at that.

“I just dropped by to grab some reigns and more spray bottles. The team is over there with Unit Sigma trying to get the situation under control, but it’s like a total warzone now. And I think Myungjun-oppa almost had his horn broken off, so things are pretty intense.”

“Yikes…” Yuqi grimaced. “I guess Juhyun-unnie’s got her work cut out for her, huh?”

Ryujin hums in the agreement. “Oh, yeah. Do you mind if I borrow your cart real quick? My legs are killing me, and I gotta carry all the stuff I have to bring.”

The ranger nods. “Go ahead. I don’t really need it anyway.”

“Cool, thanks.”

While Ryujin goes to gather up their equipment, Yuqi takes a glance at her wristwatch. It’s a quarter-past nine-thirty, so she still has ample time to do her morning patrol and finish by lunch break. So far, things were going quite smoothly—although the same couldn’t be said for the rest of her teammates. Especially Ryujin.

But little did she know, something unexpected was about to happen that would throw her entire life for a loop.

* * *

Yuqi spent the next hour hiking through the dense forest of trees at her assigned location. Visiting the many compounds and occasionally checking in on the visitors who needed help traversing around the huge reserve. She also made sure to check if the hybrids were fed and being treated properly by their human guests, and even engaged in small talk with a few of them.

The ranger had just left the gazelle compound when she suddenly bumped into Soojin along the way. Judging by her route, the fox-hybrid must be heading towards their headquarters. No doubt, to see a certain little captain with a fiery temper.

“Soojin-unnie! Hi!” Yuqi beamed as she waves at the demure fox, who greets her with a kind smile and a soft _“hello”._ “Have you eaten yet?”

The vixen gives her a small nod. “We had pancakes for breakfast. Yeonwoo-unnie and Wonwoo-oppa almost fought for the last piece, but nothing too extreme. They didn’t notice Minseok-oppa swiping it from under their noses though, so it’s their loss.”

The mental imagery makes Yuqi snicker.

Despite being part of the senior batch of hybrids, the older fox—true to their nature—can be equally as sly and mischievous as their juniors. Except for sweet Soojin, of course.

“That’s good, I guess. Ryujin and the others already have their hands full at the buffalo compound. From what she said, they’re probably having a brawl with the gorilla-hybrids.”

Soojin tilts her head curiously. “Is it that bad?”

Yuqi shrugged. “It’s pretty intense, apparently. Myungjun-oppa almost lost a horn, and even Unit Sigma is there trying to rein them all in.”

“I see…”

The fox then averts her gaze while rubbing her neck shyly. A habit she does whenever she’s nervous or embarrassed.

“Is Soyeon around today?” She asked, a vague blush on her cheeks as she looks at the ranger expectantly.

_She’s not even trying to hide it._ Yuqi thought with a wide grin. “She is, but she’s over there helping the team right now. I don’t know how long it’ll take them though, but they’re managing.”

The evident concern flashing in her amber eyes wasn’t hard to miss. Nor were the subtle flicks of her sandy-blonde, fennec fox ears as her bushy tail swishes about anxiously. “You think she’s okay?”

Soojin looks really worried, and Yuqi finds it to be rather adorable. Considering the fox-hybrid’s reputation for being calm and reserved, it’s nice to know that she truly cares about her best friend to a certain extent. And that she’s comfortable enough to show her emotions instead of hiding them.

“It’s Soyeon-unnie.” Yuqi said as she offers her a reassuring smile. “She’ll get the job done no matter what. Not even a stampede of bulls would be enough to stop her.”

Soojin lets out a soft laugh, sweet and mellow like her personality. “That’s true. But I’m still going to check on her, just in case.”

“Be my guest, unnie. Oh, and tell her I said hi!”

“Sure.”

They eventually go their separate ways. With Soojin trekking towards the buffalo compound, and Yuqi to wherever her feet would take her.

Unlike her teammates, the ranger faced no trivial issue that required her attention. She thought about assisting them, thinking they could use some extra manpower, but Ryujin didn’t want to inconvenience her and assured that they’ll handle it just fine.

Somewhere far ahead from the borders of the Bovidae subdivision, Yuqi reaches a small clearing where a clear, blue lake can be found in the midst of a few rocks and boulders. She seats herself atop one of them and basks in the tranquility of nature, listening to the sound of flowing water as they traveled down its multiple streams. Along with the light rustling of leaves as the cool, April wind passed over them.

Unfortunately, the peace was short-lived.

Not long after she had settled back to relax, an ear-piercing scream suddenly tore through the air like claws of a wild beast. Shattering her temporary bliss as she fell backwards in shock.

“Jesus!”

Yuqi froze from where she had collapsed onto the grass, blinking a few times to gather her senses back before she frantically whips her head around. Trying to locate the source, but to no avail.

“H-Hello?! Is anyone there?!” She shouts at no one in particular. Or so, she thought.

Yuqi hears another loud scream coming from her left, and she scrambles up to follow the direction of the voice. Straying off the designated track as she dashes through the vast array of trees, until stumbling across a huge, wire fence that surrounds the “Preservation Zone”—an isolated section of the reserve, where the hybrids who are often sought out or captured by illegal poachers and hunters are kept in for protection.

Ironically enough, hybrid-species that fall under the category of _“predators”_ weren’t targeted as much as compared to the ones classified under _“prey”._ Unlike those who possess the genes of larger mammal species such as bison or elephants, smaller hybrids like the members of the rodent family are considered rare and valuable. Their docile and timid nature makes them the ideal candidates for the black-market industry, where they get sold off to the highest bidder for a quick profit. Be it as a sex slave, or a brand-new plaything.

Whatever be the case, it sure puts a whole new meaning to how one reads the word: _prey._

Yuqi approaches the fence and examines it closely, walking along the side until she discovers a gaping hole hidden behind an old log. It takes a few hefty pushes to move the damn thing, but she manages to make some room and finds that the metal wires have been cut. Leaving a size big enough for someone to slither through the space unharmed.

“Shit…”

Yuqi frowned, reaching for the radio transceiver attached to her belt and turning it in to her team’s channel.

“Unit Delta? Hey, it’s Yuqi.” She speaks into the microphone. “Do any of you copy?”

Chaeryeong responds after a couple seconds. _“Hiya, unnie! Yeah, we read you loud and clear. What’s up?”_

“Code-three, I think there’s a trespasser in the Preservation Zone. I found a hole in the fence and it looks like they’ve used something like garden shears to cut through it.” Yuqi explained as she studied the sharp ends. “I don’t know their whereabouts though, so we might need to call for back-up.”

Soyeon chimes in immediately. _“Are you serious?”_ She groaned, and Yuqi can hear the shouting on the other end as the captain pulls away to yell back a warning.

_“Goddammit, Jimin! If you try breaking off his horn one more time, I swear to your ancestors that you’ll see it in an x-ray of your ass!”_ Soyeon barked before returning to the call. _“We should get paid extra for this… Anyway, we’ll be there in a few. For the meantime, I might send Lucas and his team over to your location. They can scout the area for any traces or clues.”_

Lia tunes in next. _“Copy that! Sorry for not being able to meet up with you right now, Yuqi. Things have gotten pretty hectic over here, and Ryujin is like… trapped under a buffalo pile.”_

Somewhere in the background, she can discern the garbled voice of Ryujin swearing like a sailor.

_“Get the fuck off me, you sweaty-ass punks!”_

Yuqi couldn’t help but snicker at her friend’s misery.

“It’s fine, Li.” She did her best not to guffaw and bottled up her bubbling laughter. “I’ll just update you guys if ever I find anything interesting. See ya.”

She straps the radio back to her belt and kneels down to inspect the hole. Contemplating on whether to enter or wait for reinforcements, except the cry from earlier sounded so… _pained._ Yuqi would be damned if she prolonged their agony—whoever they are.

Since the opening was rather big, the ranger had no trouble slipping through it as she steered clear of the pointed wires. Grumbling a bit when a part of her uniform got snagged on one of them. Other than that, she came out unscathed with only the specks of dirt to worry about.

The screams grew louder from there, meaning that Yuqi must be close as she starts jogging towards its direction. Racing through the denser patch of trees up ahead in an effort to reach them in time, while also trying to avoid the various debris that were blocking her way. Such as the second log she comes across, and that obnoxious branch that nearly smacked her in the face.

Bursting into the scene in a panting, disheveled mess, Yuqi’s eyes widen in horror at the sight of a young hybrid sprawled on the forest floor. Tears flowing down her cheeks with her face scrunched into an expression of unfathomable pain, and that’s when Yuqi notices the iron bear trap that’s caught on her leg. Its bloodstained teeth had dug into her flesh, painting its surface and staining her white clothes in a sickening shade of red.

“Please don’t hurt me…” The hybrid begged as her lips trembled in fear, hugging herself in a desperate strive for self-consolation. She tries shifting away, but then whimpers at the sharp pain from aggravating her open wounds. The pair of mouse ears twitching on her head to mirror her discomfort.

“Relax, I’m not going to hurt you.” Yuqi soothed while raising her hands up to show that she isn’t a threat, and slowly edges near the crying hybrid in measured steps to avoid startling her. “I just want to help, okay? Don’t be scared.”

Her low, steady voice calms the mouse’s rattled nerves, although her body still quivered from the feeble sobs wracking through it. The heartbreaking display was too much for the ranger to bear.

“My name is Yuqi. I’m one of the rangers working here.” She continues to speak, crouching beside her when she was close enough to get a better look at her injury. _Crap, it looks deep._ “What’s yours?”

“Min-Minnie…”

Yuqi offers her a warm smile. “Alright, Minnie. How about I get you out of this, hm?” She gestures at the bear trap. Silently asking for her permission, to which Minnie allows with a weak nod of consent, and she wastes no time in assessing the situation.

The damage dealt to her leg infuriated Yuqi, who clenches her jaw at the idea that someone could be so cruel enough to do such a heinous thing. Leaving a creature stuck to the ground in a state of abject terror is nothing short of torture. And to think, they’ve resorted to these unorthodox methods for the sake of fulfilling their own selfish desires—for money and pleasure, no less!

_Locking them in a prison cell is too generous of punishment._ Yuqi thought spitefully.

“Do you know how to get it off…?” Minnie asked when her fingertips brushed along the cold steel. Analyzing the mechanisms of the infernal device until she pauses on one of the two levers keeping its jaws snapped shut, which were activated through the coil springs after the pan was stepped on.

(Good thing Yuqi paid attention to the survival and first-aid orientation during her first week at the reserve. Hyuna would be proud.)

“I think I have an idea.”

Furrowing her brows in concentration, Yuqi carefully presses down on the levers with as much mediated force as possible to relieve the tension in them. Mindful of Minnie’s facial expressions to ensure that she’s not exacerbating her wounds by recklessly grinding the teeth against them, and murmuring soft words of encouragement to distract the mouse from her pain.

Minnie hisses when the trap is being removed, her ruined leg dripping with fresh, crimson threads that soak into the earth below as Yuqi detaches it from her limb.

“Sorry.” She said while shooting her an apologetic glance.

“I-It’s fine…”

Tossing aside the god-awful contraption in disgust, Yuqi rolls up the soiled pant leg with delicate care before rummaging through the medical pouch on her belt for a roll of bandages and a sterile gauze to stop the bleeding. ( _Shoot, I forgot to pack a disinfectant spray!_ ) Her hands are cautious as she applies pressure over the area, wrapping it a little tightly to help her blood clot faster and seal the exposed wounds.

“Done!” Yuqi beamed after dressing Minnie’s calf to the best of her capabilities. “I’m no first-aid expert, but that should do nicely. At least, until we have it checked by Juhyun-unnie at her clinic. She’s a great nurse!”

Minnie stares at her in a mix of wonderment and gratitude, feeling another wave of tears from the sheer relief of crossing paths with this kind ranger. A good Samaritan who arrived just in time to save her from a terrible fate. Maybe that, coupled with how gentle and caring Yuqi has been towards the hybrid, made her appear like a knight in shining armor beneath her cute, girl scout exterior.

The glistening, brown eyes alarms Yuqi, who mistakes them as a sign of pain as she starts fretting over Minnie. “What’s wrong?” She panics while hovering just beside her. “Are you hurt somewhere? Do you need me to—”

She doesn’t get to finish, because the mouse surges forward and engulfs her in a rib-crushing hug. Crying a string of broken _“thank you’s”_ as she urgently clings to Yuqi for protection. Overwhelmed by so many different emotions as a result of being confined all alone. Traumatized and defenseless at the mercy of cruel, unjust humans.

That is, before Yuqi came to her rescue.

“Hey, it’s okay…” The ranger says softly as she pats the top of her head, right between her shivering mouse ears that shook with every sob. “You’re safe now, Minnie. I promise.”

Minnie buries her tear-streaked face against Yuqi’s chest, seeking the other’s warmth and security while digging her fingers into her clothed shoulders. Yuqi winces at the near-death grip possibly bruising her underneath, but couldn’t care less about it or the wetness forming on her uniform. Not when she’s too focused on consoling the shuddering hybrid in her arms.

It takes a couple minutes for Minnie to calm down. Her sobs dwindling into cute sniffles and cute hiccups, with Yuqi rubbing her back all the while to comfort her. Once she was certain that the hybrid is feeling better, she gently urges Minnie to look at her and has her breath taken out of her lungs. Up close, her deep-brown eyes seem to pull her into a magnetic trance. Filled with innocence and purity, yet strangely hypnotizing. The tips of her bangs hung just above them, grazing over her eyebrows in a curtain of black, as her lustrous hair spilled over her shoulders in long, elegant waves.

_Oh, wow._ Yuqi’s heart stuttered at the sight. _She’s gorgeous._

Shaking off those _unnecessary_ thoughts, she smiles again and reaches up to ruffle her (soft) head of hair in a friendly manner. Of course, Minnie was initially taken aback by the affection touch—but she instinctively leans into Yuqi’s hand as her ears flick with delight.

_At least she’s not intimidated by me._ Yuqi mused as her smile grows wider.

“We’d better get going soon. It’s not good to keep your wounds waiting.” She motions at her bandaged leg. “They haven’t been cleaned yet, and I don’t want to risk an infection.”

Minnie gives her a quiet nod, and Yuqi takes it as a green sign to assist her in standing up. Making sure to be extra attentive around her injury as she lets the mouse lean onto her for support, her arm immediately wrapping itself around Minnie’s waist to balance her when she wobbles on her one good leg.

“Um…” Yuqi glances at her anxious face and sees her gazing down at her bloody bandages. “I don’t think I can walk properly like this…”

The ranger ponders for a solution. Even though Minnie isn’t exactly immobile, she doesn’t want to inconvenience her by dragging the hybrid along in a crippled state. Plus, her wounds might not heal properly if they do so.

“Okay, wait. I’m going to try something, but don’t freak out.”

Before Minnie could question her, she promptly finds herself being swooped up in lean, but strong arms lifting her off the ground. One arm tucked under her knees, and the other bracing her back as they held her close to a sturdy frame.

Looking up, she realizes that it’s Yuqi carrying her with a sheepish grin on her face. And Minnie blushes at their proximity as a flustered squeak escapes her lips.

In normal circumstances, she’d flinch or shy away from the unfamiliar contact. But she never anticipated the ranger to be so… gracious and considerate. And it goes without saying that their closeness gave her an immediate sense of safety, which was greatly appreciated after the harrowing event she just went through.

Unbeknownst to her, Yuqi is screaming inside.

Because why the fuck did she decide to go all “Princess- _freaking_ -Charming” and perform such a bold move? Not to mention, it’s been a fairly long time since she last picked up on Lucas’ rigorous training regime. So, maybe she’s a _wee_ bit out of shape than usual.

That being said, Yuqi still managed to carry the mouse with relative ease. She could’ve given Minnie a piggy-back ride instead, but there was that issue of bumping her injured leg as she walked.

“I don’t mean to impose this way. But, uh… is this alright with you?” She nervously asked while trying _really_ hard not to get lost in those big, brown eyes that were staring at her intently.

“Yeah, it’s… it’s more than alright, actually.”

If her gaze wasn’t already mesmerizing enough, Minnie’s voice turned out to be even more attractive—like a siren’s call beckoning to a spellbound sailor. Sweet, yet a pinch husky around the edges.

_Oh, no._

Her heart nearly flatlines when Minnie, out of _nowhere_ , rests her head in the crook of Yuqi’s neck, and the poor ranger almost trips over her own two feet as she blames her intensified feelings on the mouse-hybrid’s unfair beauty. Making her all jittery and shy like a teenage girl around her crush, which couldn’t get any more cliché than it already is.

“Thank you, Yuqi.” Minnie said as she nuzzles into her neck. A single, soft mouse ear tickling her sensitive skin when she presses against her for a comfortable position.

Yuqi does her damn-darndest best not to squawk as her face burns to a hundred fucking degrees. “N-No problem.” She stammered weakly. Failing to hide her raging blush when Minnie leans back to flash her a grateful smile, which pushed up her eyes into adorable, little crescents.

Pretty things are the ranger’s absolute weakness—and Minnie is no exception.

Yuqi gulps to herself. _Ah, I’m in trouble._


End file.
